January's Cupcake Of The Month - Irish Cake Bombs

You know, sort of like Irish Car Bombs, but in cake form.


These probably would've made more sense being March's cupcake but it was a good friend's 21st birthday and what better way to celebrate a boozy birthday than with boozy cupcakes?


The Ingredients (makes about 2 dozen):
For the cupcakes:
-1 cup unsalted butter, softened
-1 cup stout beer
-3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-2 cups flour
-2 cups sugar
-1 1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup sour cream
For the filling:

-1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

-1/2 cup heavy cream

-3/4 tbsp corn starch

-3 tsp Irish whiskey

For the frosting:

-1 cup unsalted butter, softened
-1 cup vegetable shortening
-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, or to taste, sifted
-6 tbsp Irish cream
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-pinch of salt

The Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your cupcake pan(s).
2. Bring the beer and butter to a simmer and then whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

3. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
4. Beat eggs and sour cream together until combined.

5. Gradually add the cocoa mixture to the eggs, constantly mixing so that you don't scramble the eggs.

Watch out for splashing!

6. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet. 

Reminder: Make sure to scrape your mixing bowl and paddle between each addition, especially the bottom where ingredients can settle!
7. Fill cupcake cups (I filled them about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up) and bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate halfway through to ensure even baking. Allow to cool completely before filling or frosting.

8. Over a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water) melt the chocolate chips, heavy cream and corn starch together. Once mixture is smooth, take it off the heat and stir in the whiskey until combined. Set aside and allow to cool so that it can thicken up before filling the cupcakes, stirring every few minutes.

Oh my ganache!

9. Whip the shortening and butter together until light and fluffy. Then add the Irish cream and vanilla extract. Next, gradually add the sugar to taste. Lastly, add a pinch of salt. If you're not frosting the same day, cover and refrigerate.

10. After your cupcakes have cooled, use a tsp or melon baller and dig out a hole (I dug down to about 2/3 of the way down) and fill them up with the ganache filling. You can pipe it in (if you don't have a piping bag, you can use a plastic sandwich bag with a corner cut off) or just spoon the filling in.

11. Frost the cupcakes with either a spatula, a piping bag or a sandwich bag.

12. Consume and enjoy!
Tip: These cupcakes can be made a couple days ahead as long as they're thoroughly wrapped or covered and refrigerated, even after they've been filled. I would recommend holding off on the frosting until the day you serve them though. Also, if you're serving your cupcakes more than 3 to 4 hours after frosting them, you might want to put them in the refrigerator until about an hour before you serve (there is a bit of a dairy in the frosting after all.) Better to be safe than sorry with food poisoning later.

All packed and ready for the party!